8-12 November 2007

From the Psychotic to the Sublime

The Lake Waikaremoana Track

Day 3, Page 3 Waiopaoa to Marauiti

We carry on beside the lake.

More wheki-ponga

It's easy and pleasant walking and nearly all level going.

The lake water in this small inlet is sparkling clear.

and we're in an out of bush cover.

Here's a small hounds tongue fern.

Every now and then we strike a patch of this grey almost cement-like rock. It decays into a gravelly sand that forms small beaches here and there.

They do like their deep tracks. there's a wonderful collection of small ferns, mosses and lichens along banks like this.

Mostly I'm in simple walking mode, letting one step follow the next and enjoying the light through and on the leaves, the faint breeze and the slight damp smell that comes off the surroundings. Lake levels vary quite a bit and at present they're a bit lower than usual. I imagine there are times when some of the track along here gets rather close to waterlogged, and we'll see a bit later what DoC has done with that.

Here's a sandy/boggy bit.

Along many parts of the track, tutu is growing rampantly, a bit early for its annual show of berries but flower buds are well-formed. Bee keepers often remove hives from areas where tutu is flowering, as it can be a problem.

Here's some more wineberry in a wonderful show of flower.

and here's one I just don't know at all. Once again, if you can help with the id, let me know.

On we go. There's a certain repetitive sameness along here but it's still very pleasant walking.

Here's another couple of mysteries.

and this small green-centred daisy prompts a closer look.

Onward

and here we are at the turnoff to the Falls. I'll leave this side track to another page later on, when Miranda will have downloaded and organised her photos. (If you get a 404, that's why.) Right up near the Falls one is obliged to cross the river by leaping from large rock to large rock, maintaining one's balance by hanging on to a cable strung across above the rocks. It was all a little unsteady for me, and I turned back. While I have photos up as far as the river, Miranda has all the exciting ones after that. Miranda reckons more like 45 minutes.